Is it safe to keep running while pregnant? Am I hurting myself by continuing? How do I know when to keep running or when to stop?
Are you worried about continuing to run while pregnant? Have you heard people tell you that you should stop running immediately and then be told that there’s no need to stop at all? It can be very confusing! Our goal is by the time you’re done reading this, you will have a clearer picture of when or if you need to stop running during pregnancy.
But first, Why should you listen to me?
Hi! I’m Dr. Stefanie Long and I’m a pelvic floor physical therapist, specialist in women’s health and running coach for Concept Pelvic Health. We treat women exclusively and specialize in pregnancy and postpartum. Because I am both a physical therapist and a running coach, I have a unique ability to pair the two and ensure that we get the answers you need.
I’m excited to tell you that most women can safely run throughout your pregnancy!
Below we are going to discuss the benefits and drawbacks to continuing to run so that you can make an informed decision for what's best for you and your baby. As always, it is best to speak with your physician to ensure that there is nothing in your unique medical history that precludes you from participating in sports of any kind while pregnant.
There are so many benefits of continuing running or participating in other exercises during pregnancy!
Improved physical health: You'll likely see an improvement in heart health and better weight management throughout your pregnancy!
Mental and emotional health: You'll likely experience less anxiety, better sleep quality and improved mood!
Research has shown shorter labor times, better health scores for baby (APGAR scores)! An APGAR score is the initial health report you get about baby. It rates baby in several different areas including: their appearance, their heart rate and respirations, their activity and how they respond to stimuli. Staying physically active during pregnancy improves these scores for most babies after they are delivered! Read the research about that here.
It's not all benefits though.
However, research has also found there are some drawbacks to continuing higher level physical activity, mainly when someone is very fit. The research also shows that there is an increase in instrument assisted vaginal delivery, with the researchers theorizing that it might be due to increased pelvic floor tone and inability for the pelvic floor to get out of the way and allow the baby to pass through.
"Continuing to run during pregnancy does not appear to affect gestational age or birthweight centile, regardless of mean weekly distance or stage of pregnancy. Assisted vaginal delivery rates were higher in women who ran, possibly due to increased pelvic floor muscle tone."
We'll continue to talk more on this topic and how we can work through that particular topic below.
Pregnancy symptoms got you down?
While continuing to be safe, there are however many reasons why someone might decide to not continue to run. These are valid reasons why changing your workout routine might be the best course of action. These, however, don’t limit you from returning to running later on in your pregnancy, especially if you’re able to keep up with other forms of exercise that we will list below.Â
Nausea/morning sickness - Can't stop hugging a toilet? Physical activity may be the furthest thing from your mind. However, some times getting outside in the fresh air might help you feel less nauseous. Perhaps this would be a time to take a walk and potentially a light jog if after walking, you start to feel a little better.
First trimester fatigue - Don't underestimate this fatigue. It may be all you can do to take care of your basic needs during these first few weeks, much less continue with an intense exercise regimen.
Anxiety or fear of losing the pregnancy - this may be you if you have had previous or threatened miscarriages or have been put on pelvic rest early in your pregnancy. If you've been cleared for activity though, being outside and physical (even in a small way) can help to lessen feelings of anxiety. Don't underestimate that power of nature on our mental state.
If you're feeling any of these things above, it may be best to step back from intense running, but options like walking or light jogging may help to improve your symptoms. It's a delicate balance between improvement in symptoms and pushing the boundaries too far, which will be for you and your doctor to decide.
Keep it Healthy!
So, what’s the best way to ensure that you continue to run safely? Here are some general guidelines for continuing to run:
Check with your doctor: It’s always a good idea to check with your doctor to ensure that there isn’t something in your medical history that might limit you from continuing to run. Most of the time, there isn’t. Make sure to ask for specific reasons for any objection to running.Â
Listen to your body: If you begin to feel unstable, have pain, and/or heaviness in your pelvis, it might be time to scale back or reach out to a pelvic health therapist. A lot of the pain in pregnancy, including the feelings of heaviness, can be improved with pelvic health therapy while working with a specialist. If you are experiencing these issues and would like to continue running, reach out to Concept Pelvic Health or your local pelvic floor therapist to assess the best way to reach your goals.Â
Adjust your routine: Change the time of day or how much you’re doing in order to sync with how you are feeling. If you’re tired one day, I would suggest scaling back on how much you do, how far you run, how fast you run or even doing a different kind of activity. This will help keep you running for your entire pregnancy.Â
Stay Hydrated: Becoming dehydrated can cause many issues during pregnancy including (but not limited) braxton-hicks contractions, swelling, pre-term labor, and UTIs. It can also mess with your blood pressure and heart rate, causing you to become dizzy or light headed. Running, especially in the heat, can exacerbate these symptoms. Ensuring that you are well hydrated is an important step in keeping you active.Â
Make sure you continue pelvic floor relaxation activities: Maintaining good mobility of your pelvic floor, including both relaxation and contraction, helps with all pelvic floor issues (incontinence, feeling like you’re going to the bathroom all the time, pelvic pain, and others) and should help with making sure the pelvic floor gets out of the way. The best way to decrease your chances that pelvic floor will limit your delivery is to schedule a pelvic floor assessment with our team of therapists ready and able to help you push productively.
It's gone to far!
Just because most people can safely keep running throughout pregnancy, doesn’t mean it’s safe for everyone. There are some tell tale signs that running should be discontinued. When in doubt, always reach out to your provider.Â
Signs it may be time to stop:
Persistent or worsening pain following activity
Shortness of breath or dizzinessÂ
Vaginal bleeding
Changes in baby’s movement
Any medical condition that develops during pregnancy: gestational Diabetes, pre-eclampsia, or placenta previa
Running is SAFE the entirety of your pregnancy!
There are so many reasons to continue your chosen activity during pregnancy and that can absolutely be running if you are mindful of the changes your body is going through. As always, checking with your doctor and having a conversation about whether your unique situation is conducive to continuing activity is important. Everyone is different and while it is safe for the majority of women, your body may have different needs.
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